(a) whether the Government has allocated/proposes to allocate funds for issuance of Digital Ration Cards and overall improvement in Public Distribution System (PDS) management, if so, the details thereof and the steps taken thereon;
(b) whether the said fund has been expended by the Government and if so, the details thereof State-wise; and
(c) the reasons for delay, if any, in release of funds along with the present status of computerisation project of PDS?
MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)
(a) to (c): With a view to modernize the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) Government has initiated a plan scheme on ‘End-to-end Compterisation of TPDS Operations’ under 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) on cost sharing basis with the States/UTs with funding requirement of Rs. 884.07 crore, which includes Government of India’s share of Rs. 489.37 crore and States/UTs share of Rs. 394.70 crore. Costs are being shared on 90:10 basis in respect on North Eastern States and on 50:50 basis with other States/UTs. This scheme comprises activities, namely, digitization of ration cards/beneficiary and other databases, computerization of supply-chain management, setting up of transparency portals, FPS automation etc. Presently there is no proposal for issuance of digital ration cards under the above scheme.
As per reports received from States/UTs, present status of the scheme State/UT-wise is at Annex-I and details of funds released to States/UTs from 2012-13 onwards are at Annex-II. However, implementation is uneven across the country due to delay in finalization of action plans by States/UTs, late submission of their proposals for financial assistance practical problems faced during implementation, etc.
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